Hundreds of Eurostar passengers endured travel chaos this morning as migrants blocked tracks leading to the tunnel under the English Channel and attempted to board trains.

According to the rail operator, three trains left Paris early for London while two others were forced to return to their original departure stations.

Passengers on one of the UK-bound trains, which stopped nearly two kilometres from the tunnel, were told at one point to be very quiet and listen for the sound of people climbing on the roof.

A helicopter then circled the train as guards walked the tracks looking for people trying to sneak across.

“So, we waited at the entrance of the tunnel, because they told us there were people in the tunnel, and we waited for – I think – two hours-and-a-half, or maybe three hours and in the end, without giving us any information, they said we would go back,” complained one traveller.

Thousands of refugees, mostly from Africa, are camped in and around Calais. Since June, at least nine people have died while trying to make the dangerous crossing to Britain